Goodbye, Friend
by Timcampy-chan
Summary: Songfic. 04 by Bamboo. Ed and Al meet Ling, and Ed decides to confront him about the lifealtering choice he has made. The three think about their goals, and a promise is made. Mangaverse, spoilers ahoy! Rated T for Ed's foul mouth.


Yay, I finally wrote a fanfic that's not about Fire Emblem! xD I even included LingxRanFan, since it's my favorite pairing ever. I don't write much Fullmetal Alchemist, and all I have written is crack (Fullmetal Alchemist meets the Ring, Ed finds out that the movie was a prank and he's on Punk'd…) so please forgive me if this isn't that great. Ed kind of has mood swings…

This is also a songfic—04 by Bamboo, the first track from their album Light Peace Love. I doubt anyone has ever heard the song or even heard of the band, unless you're from the Philippines…Go listen to them, they're awesome. Song lyrics are in _italics_!

I don't own FMA, the song 04, or the band Bamboo!

Story start—Ready steady GO!

_

* * *

_

_I'll move on, here lying in my cozy bed_

_What's next on my list, too much to think about_

_Maybe I'm better off dead_

_Realize when everything's done and said, I'd given up_

A dreary gray light streamed freely through the thin, dirty curtains in the cluttered living room of Dr. Knox, shining on a suit of armor placed in a corner. Crumpled papers lay dejected on the ground, abandoned with little hope of being thrown away. A middle-aged man sat on a stool smoking a cigarette, observing a golden-haired boy who seemed to be sleeping noiselessly on his coffee-stained couch. He blew out a cloud of smoke and stood suddenly.

"Hey, kid. I know you're awake," Dr. Knox said gruffly. The boy remained still.

"Nii-san. Let's go." The armor rose and approached his motionless brother.

"...Fine." He sat up, braiding his hair as he spoke. "Thanks, Dr. Knox." His eyes were fixed instead on a room across the way. The door was ajar, revealing a young Xingese girl silently massaging the remnant of her left arm, the bandages dyed crimson with blood. "Let's go, Al."

"Okay." Edward and Alphonse Elric left without another word.

_Goodbye friend, we never really had a chance to talk_

_Take a breath, just a minute or two_

_Let me try to find a reason for what you're about to do_

_What are you about to do?_

_You got our attention, let's all just settle down_

_So you did the unimaginable, oh, I hope you're proud_

_Cause it's never gonna be the same_

_Cause it's never gonna be the same_

On the streets of Central, neither spoke for a long while until Al reluctantly broke the silence.

"Are you…you're thinking about—"

"Yeah," interrupted Ed, without looking at his brother. His eyes were once again straying elsewhere, now on an alley where they had found a certain starving traveler.

Silence once again.

"…Nii-san…why…? Why did Ling do it?"

Ed turned to Al. "He wanted immortality. Simple as that."

"B-but he threw away everything!"

"So did we," stated Edward bluntly. A stern expression had formed on his face. "If that's what he wanted, that's what he got. It's none of our business now—"

"Nii-san. We were...friends…we can't just leave him like that…"

"I'll leave him if I want to, dammit!" Edward clenched his fist. "Equivalent exchange."

"You're not yourself."

"I am, Al."

"No, you're not," a voice from behind the two interrupted, placing a hand tattooed with an ourobouros on Edward's head.

"You..!" Ed whipped his head around, and Ling—no, Greed—entered his vision.

"In the flesh." He sneered at them and turned his palm toward his face, clearly displaying the mark of a homunculus to the Elric brothers.

_Brother is this it was this some race to the end?_

_Save me from myself remind me what I have to do_

_Cause from time to time I seem to forget_

Clenching his automail hand, Edward muttered under his breath, "You…you.."

"Yes, yes?" asked Greed tauntingly.

"You bastard!!" Edward's fist blindly sent itself flying towards Greed, colliding with his cheek to no effect—Greed had activated his ultimate shield ability.

"Nii-san! He doesn't mean us any harm!" Alphonse grabbed his brother, who continued to struggle.

"How could you?! Ling, you lost everything! Your humanity! Us! Ran Fan!! Why?!" cried Edward, fists still tightly clenched as he attempted to wrestle his way out of Al's grasp.

Ling smiled sadly as the shield receded from his face. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it! Dammit, you…" Edward broke off. Greed was no longer in control, at least for the moment. Al loosened his grip, also aware of what had occurred.

"You didn't think I'd give up all I had without a fight, did you? You're already underestimating me? That's not fair!" Ling laughed.

"Ling, why? Why?" Being a suit of armor didn't mean Alphonse couldn't show his emotions—his voice expressed enough sorrow and desperation. "Ed is right. They have power over you now, and even though you've got immortality, you don't even know if you can control your body for yourself! How could you take so many risks?"

"You did, too." The Xingese teenager grinned sheepishly. "And you are now. I have my own goals, and the two of you have yours. I'm not giving up. For my sake, for my country's sake…" Ling paused. "And for her sake." He looked up again. "I know you aren't going to give up, either."

"Hell no." Edward, who had said nothing since Ling had begun to talk, finally spoke. "And when we've both achieved our goals…I want to see you again…"

"Sure, Ed. Let's make a promise."

"Hey, don't forget about me!" Al interrupted, feigning insult. The other two laughed.

"So, it's a promise." Ling put out his hand—the one marked with the symbol that separated him from humanity.

"A promise…" With the arm he had lost and replaced with cold steel, Edward grabbed Ling's hand. "Among friends."

The hollow hand of armor grabbed Ling's hand once Edward had released it. "Until we meet again…"

_Oh yes the sun will rise again_

_Talk to you later… friend_

Edward and Alphonse continued on their way, Ling walking in an opposite direction. Ling looked to the sky and smiled quietly to himself.

"Until then."

_Goodbye friend_

_

* * *

_

Thanks for reading! Please review!


End file.
